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Arsenal are close to signing Red Star Belgrade attacking midfielder Vasilije Kostov, according to reports in the Serbian media.
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Sportinjo claim that the Gunners have offered €12m (£10.4m) up front for the 17-year-old, with another €8m (£6.9m) in add-ons, taking the total cost to €20m (£17.3m).
While there is no total agreement yet, the two teams are working on the finer details and there is a feeling that a “deal is on the horizon”.
Whether that is in fact the case, we shall have to wait and see, but it appears that Mikel Arteta’s side are very interested in Kostov.
The Arsenal target has been likened to a Barcelona star
Kostov has been named the “Serbian Pedri” by some of the media, due to similarities in his style of play.
However, the Red Star Belgrade player does generally play in more advanced positions. He has been deployed mostly as a no.10 or on the right wing this season.
For someone who will only turn 18 next month, he has already shown that he can produce the goods at senior level, having scored 14 goals and contributed 7 assists in 42 appearances over the course of the 2025/26 campaign.
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Kostov’s arrival would raise questions about Nwaneri’s future
It is fair to say that the Gunners are not short of attacking midfielders. As well as captain Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze, Arteta has both Max Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri at the club.
If Kostov is signed, it would suggest that one of those four players will be leaving on a permanent basis at the end of the season. The clear favourite would be Nwaneri.
The 19-year-old was loaned out to Marseille during the January transfer window, but he has struggled to make an impression in France. His sale looks increasingly likely.
Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here